The UN statement said Tuesday’s airstrikes were a violation of international law and called for an investigation.

“International law obliges military forces to take necessary precautions to prevent civilian harm, including distinguishing between civilians and combatants in operations,” the UN statement added.

The UN Children’s Agency said that at least 20 children were killed in the attack.

“Children are not and must never be a target,” UNICEF South Asia Director Sanjay Wijesekera said on X.

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Afghan authorities reported that at least 46 civilians were killed in the airstrikes.

The victims were said to be refugees from the Waziristan region in Pakistan.

Afghanistan had summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in Kabul to protest the attack.

The Pakistani diplomat was handed a “serious protest note” informing Pakistan that the protection of Afghanistan’s territory is “a red line” and that such “irresponsible actions” will have consequences, the Afghan foreign ministry said.

Pakistan claims that the airstrikes targeted suspected Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, TTP, militant hideouts.

The TTP is a militant group that has been responsible for numerous attacks in Pakistan.

Islamabad claims that the TTP is hiding on Afghan soil, a claim that Kabul denies.

Source: dpa/NAN

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There was this post on social media which makes a distinction between religion economy and knowledge economy. Nigeria is said to be a Religion economy while a country like South Africa, for instance, is described as a knowledge economy. This is not to talk of the advanced countries of the world like the Western countries or the Asian Tigers and China. South Africa’s exports to Nigeria include MTN, Multichoice, DSTV, Shoprite, Standard Bank, Remgro, Pick ‘n’ Pay Holdings, and Clover Industries whereas what Nigeria exports to South Africa are its big churches – RCCG, Living Faith Church aka Winners, TB Joshua’s Synagogue of All Nations, Christ Embassy, among others!

Let us first refresh our minds with the post on religion economy and knowledge economy; when we return, we will draw useful conclusions.

Shouldn’t we, then, heed the admonitions of Bob Nesta Marley and chase out of town those crazy bald heads and bump heads feeding fat on the Religion economy?

Dissecting the two phenomena, Anthony Afolo writes:

“There are basically two economies in the world and every nation on the face of the earth falls under either of them. These are: The Knowledge Economy (and) the Religion Economy. The rich and prosperous nations of the world belong to the Knowledge Economy while the poorest and poverty-stricken nations of the world belong to the Religion Economy. The Knowledge Economy is one that engages the brain, asks relevant questions, and proffers solutions to problems. The Religion Economy is one that blackmails God and dumps every responsibility on Him.

“The Knowledge Economy tasks the brain, the Religion Economy numbs the brain. Japan, for example, is a Knowledge Economy. It has no natural resources but it is a prosperous nation, one of the richest on the planet. At least six of every 10 cars on Nigeria’s roads today are Japanese cars. Japan is not a religious country but it is one of the most corruption-free nations. China is not a religious country but nations that ignore China today do so to their own peril.

“Nigeria falls under Religion Economy; everything depends on God. Nigeria is one of the most endowed nations with natural resources; yet, (it is) also among the poorest. Nigeria proudly wears the badge of the “poverty capital of the world” and is one of the most corrupt nations. It is also one of the most religious countries. It is a nation where everything depends on God, and God watches in disgust as we mortgage our brains.

“But here is the irony: The two major religions of the world, Christianity and Islam, emanated from Israel and Saudi Arabia respectively. But none falls under Religion Economy! One evidence of their subscription to Knowledge Economy is the yearly pilgrimages that generate for them revenues in billions of dollars. But hypocritically stupid nations like Nigeria are comfortable disseminating nuisance to humanity with their glamorization of the Religion Economy.

“God is disgusted with the Religion Economy. There’s a reason He gave man brains and instructed him to subdue the earth… It is an illusion to anticipate wisdom where people do not pay attention to knowledge”.

Another commentator, Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye, in “Knowledge economy vs Religion economy: Between Nigeria and the world”, has this to say:

“In today’s world economy, the contradiction between the knowledge economy and the religion economy presents a compelling narrative that determines every nation’s development. While some countries’ development relies on their innovation, scientific advancement, and investment in education skills, Nigeria seems stuck in a cycle of dependency on religious fervour, neglecting the human intellect and creativity they are blessed with.

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“Nations practising the knowledge economy harness the power of human intellect, innovation, and education to drive economic growth and prosperity. They are trained to ask questions, do research, and offer solutions regardless of the situation. Japan (is) a true example… Even with its lack of substantial natural resources, Japan leveraged its skills in technology, research, and development to emerge as one of the world’s most prosperous nations, with zero tolerance for religious extremism.

“In contrast to Nigeria’s reliance on divine intervention, Japan’s success is based on critical thinking, problem-solving, scientific research, and continuous learning. Japanese society has always prioritized education, invested heavily in research institutions, and promoted a conducive environment for technological innovation and development. This has not only helped Japan sustain its economy but also influenced its global markets with its rapid advancements in the automotive, electronics, and robotics industries.

“On the other hand, the Religion economy shows a cycle of dependence on divine intervention while neglecting the promising potential of human intellect and ingenuity. Nigeria, often cited as one of the world’s examples, grapples with systemic issues stemming from her over-reliance on religious faith to address socioeconomic challenges. It covets the development of other countries while asking “God, when?” without taking any steps towards emulating the development process! Despite being blessed with abundant natural resources, over sixty years after independence Nigeria lags behind in overall development, plagued by corruption, poverty, and infrastructural decay, and is still classified as a developing country.

“The continuous collapse of industries and the rise in the number of religious institutions in Nigeria prove the influence of the Religion economy, where leaders and citizens await divine intervention for intellectual solutions. The reliance of Nigerians on faith-based solutions not only deters progress but also increases socioe-conomic disparities, degrading Nigeria to the level of the ‘poverty capital of the world’.

“Using Israel and Saudi Arabia as case studies proves the notion that religious affiliation prevents economic prosperity. Despite their religious significance as the birthplaces of Christianity and Islam respectively, both nations embraced the knowledge economy, leveraging innovation and strategic investments to bolster their economy. Israel is renowned for its development of technology and defence, signifying the cordial relationship between knowledge and economic development… Similarly, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have made significant strides in diversifying their economy beyond oil dependence; they prioritize investments in education, infrastructure, and technological innovation.

“In contradiction to the successes of Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, Nigeria’s adherence to the religion economy has enabled a cycle of underdevelopment and stagnation. Despite its vast potential, rather than development, Nigeria continues to grapple with issues ranging from corruption and unemployment to inadequate infrastructure and healthcare—all man-made issues that can be solved with human intellect and research, if well-funded. Yet, citizens await divine intervention for solutions!

“Rather than provide funding for development, Nigerian leaders continue to allocate substantial resources for religious tourism and religious infrastructure… These further buttressed the point of Nigerian leaders’ misplaced priorities. This money could have been invested in education, research, innovation, and sustainable development. Rather, Nigeria squanders resources on religious issues that offer fleeting solace but do little to address the root causes of poverty and underdevelopment.

“The comparison of the knowledge economy and the religion economy serves as a wake-up call for Nigeria to reassess its economic priorities and embrace knowledge and innovation as the path to development and growth. While religious faith and spirituality hold huge value for the citizens and should not be ignored, they must not overshadow the nations’ investment in human capital, education, and technological advancement…”

You need not belabour yourself to know where Nigeria belongs: Between Knowledge economy or Religion economy. The Presidency that budgeted N5 Billion as Students loan (whose goal posts keep moving forward) has reportedly, expeditiously released N90 billion to subsidize the current 2024 hajj operations! While the students will pay back; the alhajis and alhajas will not! While over two million Nigerian youths in institutions of higher learning have N5 billion budgeted as Students loan (N2,500 per student), 95,000 pilgrims to the holy land of Mecca and Medina were subsidized with N90 billion (N947,368.42 per person). I understand they were still even asking for more! Who, then, does not know where our priorities lie! There is no denying the fact that the argument which gives priority to the knowledge economy over the religion economy continues to be lost to Nigerian leaders! But for how long?

Who benefits from the N90 billion hajj subsidy? Corrupt government officials who will cream off a substantial part of the money, foreign airlines, the Saudi authorities, and the Saudi economy. The losers are Nigeria and Nigerians – more so in these austere times!

Who were those who pushed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to commit this hara-kiri and why did he cave in? To be sure, he wouldn’t be the first Nigerian leader to do this but why couldn’t he summon the same courage of May 29, 2023 of “fuel subsidy is gone” to also announce “hajj subsidy is gone”?

Nigeria and Afghanistan are the world’s two most religious countries; incidentally, they are also the two most corrupt! They are also respectively the first and second poverty capital of the world! In other words, we are only deceitfully religious; we are not pious at all! “Be not deceived, God is not mocked…! (Galatians 6: 7-8).

Nigeria and Afghanistan are the world’s two most religious countries; incidentally, they are also the two most corrupt!

While God is real, religion is a scam; especially the variant practised here. One of the places where truth is seriously loathed today is the place of worship – and I should know! This is regardless of the admonition of John 8: 32 that “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” True, then, are the words of Karl Marx that religion is the opium of the masses!

Shouldn’t we, then, heed the admonitions of Bob Nesta Marley and chase out of town those crazy bald heads and bump heads feeding fat on the Religion economy? Because, truth be told, they really are crazy who prioritize the Religion economy over the Knowledge economy!

*Bolawole (turnpot@gmail.com / 0807 552 5533), former Editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, was also the Managing Director/ Editor-in-chief of THE WESTERNER newsmagazine. He writes the ON THE LORD’S DAY column in the Sunday Tribune and TREASURES column in New Telegraph newspaper on Wednesdays. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.

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The spokesman for the Ministry of Natural Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs, Shafiullah Rahimi, made this known on Monday in Kabul.

In talks to local media, Rahimi said a total of 104 people including children and women lost their lives due to heavy snowfall, freezing weather and gas suffocation in parts of the country.

He said the deaths were recorded in Takhar, Badakhshan, Nimroz, Kandahar, Laghman, Ghazni, Uruzgan, Jawzjan, Sari Pul, Faryab, Paktika, Balkh, Samangan, Bamyan and other areas.

In cash-strapped Afghanistan where there is no heating system, people often use coal, wood or liquid gas to keep themselves warm, which sometimes claim lives due to gas leakage or carbon monoxide.

Extreme cold weather and snowfall have swept through parts of Afghanistan since the first week of January where the temperature fell down to minus 30 degrees Celsius in some areas.

Source: Xinhua/NAN

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Afghanistan parked billions of dollars in assets overseas with the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks in Europe, but that money has been frozen since the Islamist Taliban ousted the Western-backed government in August.

A spokesman for the finance ministry said the government would respect human rights, including the education of women, as he sought fresh funds on top of humanitarian aid that he said offered only “small relief”.

Under Taliban rule from 1996-2001, women were largely shut out of paid employment and education and normally had to cover their faces and be accompanied by a male relative when they left home.

“The money belongs to the Afghan nation. Just give us our own money,” ministry spokesman Ahmad Wali Haqmal told Reuters. “Freezing this money is unethical and is against all international laws and values.”

One top central bank official called on European countries including Germany to release their share of the reserves to avoid an economic collapse that could trigger mass migration towards Europe.

“The situation is desperate and the amount of cash is dwindling,” Shah Mehrabi, a board member of the Afghan Central Bank, told Reuters. “There is enough right now … to keep Afghanistan going until the end of the year.

“Europe is going to be affected most severely, if Afghanistan does not get access to this money,” said Mehrabi.

“You will have a double whammy of not being able to find bread and not being able to afford it. People will be desperate. They are going to go to Europe,” he said.

The call for assistance comes as Afghanistan faces a collapse of its fragile economy.

The departure of U.S.-led forces and many international donors left the country without grants that financed three quarters of public spending.

The finance ministry said it had a daily tax take of roughly 400 million Afghanis ($4.4 million).

Although Western powers want to avert a humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan, they have refused to officially recognise the Taliban government.

Haqmal said Afghanistan would allow women an education, although not in the same classrooms as men.

Human rights, he said, would be respected but within the framework of Islamic law, which would not include gay rights.

“LGBT… That’s against our Sharia law,” he said.

Mehrabi hopes that while the United States has recently said it will not release its lion’s share of roughly $9 billion of funds, European countries might.

He said Germany held half a billion dollars of Afghan money and that it and other European countries should release those funds.

Mehrabi said that Afghanistan needed $150 million each month to “prevent imminent crisis”, keeping the local currency and prices stable, adding that any transfer could be monitored by an auditor.

“If reserves remain frozen, Afghan importers will not be able to pay for their shipments, banks will start to collapse, food will be become scarce, grocery stores will be empty,” Mehrabi said.

He said that about $431 million of central bank reserves were held with German lender Commerzbank, as well as a further roughly $94 million with Germany’s central bank, the Bundesbank.

The Bank for International Settlements, an umbrella group for global central banks in Switzerland, holds a further approximately $660 million.

All three declined to comment.

The Taliban took back power in Afghanistan in August after the United States pulled out its troops, almost 20 years after the Islamists were ousted by U.S.-led forces following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Source: Reuters

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State Department spokesman Ned Price said the U.S. delegation in the weekend talks in Doha, Qatar, focused on security and terrorism concerns and safe passage for U.S. citizens, other foreign nationals and Afghans, as well as on human rights, including the meaningful participation of women and girls in all aspects of Afghan society.

He said the two sides also discussed “the United States’ provision of robust humanitarian assistance, directly to the Afghan people.”

“The discussions were candid and professional with the U.S. delegation reiterating that the Taliban will be judged on its actions, not only its words,” Price said in a statement.

It did not say if any agreements were reached.

On Saturday, Qatar-based Al Jazeera television quoted Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister as saying that Taliban representatives asked the U.S. side to lift a ban on Afghan central bank reserves.

It said the minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, also said Washington would offer Afghans coronavirus vaccines and that the two sides discussed “opening a new page” between the two countries.

Biden administration officials told Reuters on Friday the U.S. delegation would press the Taliban to release kidnapped American Mark Frerichs.

Another top priority would be to hold the Taliban to their commitment not to allow Afghanistan to again become a hotbed for al Qaeda or other extremists.

The Taliban took back power in Afghanistan in August, almost 20 years after they were ousted in a U.S.-led invasion for refusing to hand over al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

The U.S. officials said the weekend meeting was a continuation of “pragmatic engagements” with the Taliban and “not about granting recognition or conferring legitimacy” to the group.

U.S. officials say they are in contact with dozens of Americans and legal permanent residents who wish to leave Afghanistan and there are thousands of U.S.-allied Afghans at risk of Taliban persecution still in the country.

Washington and other Western countries are grappling with difficult choices as a severe humanitarian crisis looms large in Afghanistan.

They are trying to work out how to engage with the Taliban without granting the group the legitimacy it seeks, while ensuring humanitarian aid flows into the country.

Source: Reuters

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Bachelet told the Human Rights Council in Geneva, that Afghanistan was in a “new and perilous phase” with many women and members of ethnic groups and religious communities deeply concerned for their rights.

“Importantly, and in contradiction to assurances that the Taliban would uphold women’s rights, over the past three weeks, women have instead been progressively excluded from the public sphere,’’ she said in her speech.

Bachelet expressed dismay at the composition of the Taliban’s new government, noting the absence of women and its dominance by ethnic Pashtun.

She pointed to other broken pledges on granting amnesty to former civil servants and security officers linked to the previous government and prohibiting house-to-house searches.

Source: Reuters/NAN

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Sarajuddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the Haqqani network, designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States, will be the new interior minister, the Taliban’s main spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a news conference in Kabul.

Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of Mullah Omar, has been named as defence minister.

All the appointments are in an acting capacity, Mujahid told a news conference in Kabul.

It was not clear what role in the government would be played by Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban supreme leader.

He has not been seen or heard in public since the collapse of the Western-backed government and the seizure of Kabul by the Islamist militant movement last month.

Akhund, the new head of government, has been close to Akhunzada for 20 years.

The Taliban have repeatedly sought to reassure Afghans and foreign countries that they will not return to the brutality of their last reign two decades ago, marked by brutal punishments and the barring of women and girls from public life.

The appointment of a group of established figures from different elements of the Taliban gave no indication of any concession towards protests that broke out in Kabul earlier in the day, when Taliban gunmen fired in the air to scatter them.

Hundreds of men and women shouting slogans such as “Long live the resistance” and “Death to Pakistan” marched in the streets to protest against the Taliban takeover.

Neighbouring Pakistan has deep ties with the Taliban and has been accused of assisting its return to power – charges Islamabad denies.

The Taliban’s rapid advance across Afghanistan as U.S. forces pulled out last month triggered a scramble to leave by people fearing reprisals.

U.S.-led foreign forces evacuated about 124,000 foreigners and at-risk Afghans, but tens of thousands were left behind.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States was in contact with about 100 Americans who were still in Afghanistan.

About 1,000 people, including Americans, have been stuck in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif for days awaiting clearance for charter flights to leave, an organiser told Reuters, blaming the delay on the U.S. State Department.

Source: Reuters

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Scenes from Kabul showed supporters firing guns into the air and cars honking into the early hours of Tuesday.

The last American troops left Kabul Airport at midnight.

At that point, Afghanistan gained “full independence,” one Taliban representative, Zabihullah Mujahid said.

Another senior Taliban official, Anas Haqqani, was quoted by AFP as saying he was “proud” to witness such “historic moments”.

Afghans flee to Pakistan over land

With foreign evacuation flights now ended, Afghans still desperate to find a way out of the country may be heading to the nation’s borders.

Already over the past two weeks, thousands have fled to neighbouring Pakistan.

Our reporter Shumaila Jaffery has been at the Chaman border:

“From dawn till dusk they pour in – hundreds of men with luggage on their shoulders, burqa-clad women walking briskly behind their men, children clinging to their mothers, exhausted in the scorching heat, and even patients pushed on wheelbarrows.”

She spoke with many refugees, including one student who said:

“Everybody wants to live in their homes, but we were forced to leave Afghanistan. We are not feeling good about migrating to Pakistan or other countries, all people are worried, but they don’t have any hope.”

Who was evacuated from Afghanistan in the end?

Soon after the US announced the end of its Afghanistan mission, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told reporters that 123,000 people were safely flown out since the Taliban took over on 14 August.

Out of them, 6,000 were American citizens.

Secretary Blinken says between 100 and 200 American citizens who still want to leave remain in the country and that the US will hold the Taliban to their promise to let people freely depart the country.

It is unclear just how many of those evacuated are Afghans.

Around 15,000 people were flown to Britain, according to the UK defence ministry

Canada facilitated the evacuation of roughly 3,700 Canadian and Afghan citizens

Germany flew around 5,300 people out, including more than 4,000 Afghan nationals

Italy evacuated just over 5,000 people including 4,890 Afghans

Nearly 3,000 people including more than 2,600 Afghans were taken to France

Australia welcomed 4,100 people including more than 3,200 citizens and Afghans with visas to the country

The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Australia and Sweden are among countries that evacuated more than 1,000 people each from Kabul airport.

Source: BBC

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President Joe Biden vowed on Thursday that the United States would hunt down those responsible for the attack, saying he had ordered the Pentagon to come up with plans to strike at the perpetrators.

U.S. Central Command said the strike took place in Nangarhar province, east of Kabul and bordering Pakistan.

“Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties,” a U.S. military statement said.

It did not say whether the target was connected with the airport attack.

A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the strike was against an Islamic State militant planning future attacks.

A reaper drone, which took off from the Middle East, struck the militant while he was in a car with an Islamic State associate, the official said.

Both are believed to have been killed, the official added.

Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), an affiliate of militants who previously battled U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq, said it had carried out Thursday’s attack, which killed dozens of people – including Afghans who were trying to leave the country.

In addition to the 13 U.S. troops killed, 18 injured were flown to Germany.

There are roughly 5,000 U.S. troops at Kabul’s airport, helping to evacuate American citizens, at-risk Afghans and other nationalities before Biden’s Tuesday deadline.

Thursday’s attack marked the first U.S. military casualties in Afghanistan since February 2020 and represented the deadliest incident for American troops there in a decade.

“We will not forgive, we will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden said in remarks at the White House on Thursday.

He appeared to be fighting back tears and his voice cracked with emotion as he talked about the American “heroes” who died.

He ordered flags at the White House and public buildings around the country to be lowered to half-staff.

Biden defended his handling of his most serious foreign policy crisis, saying ultimately it is his responsibility, while assigning some blame to his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, for the 2020 agreement Trump negotiated with the Taliban.

U.S. forces in Kabul have been anticipating another attack from Islamic State militants.

Late on Friday the U.S. Embassy warned that Americans should avoid travelling to the airport because of security threats, and those at the Abbey, East, North or Ministry of Interior gates should leave immediately.

Source: Reuters

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Australia, the US and UK have issued alerts to their citizens.

Those already outside the airport are advised to leave the area immediately.

More than 82,000 people have been airlifted from Kabul, which fell to the Taliban 10 days ago.

Countries are rushing to evacuate people by a 31 August deadline.

Thousands of people are still waiting inside and outside the airport, hoping to fly out of the country.

The Taliban have opposed extending the deadline but also promised to allow foreigners and Afghans to leave the country beyond 31 August, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

On Thursday, Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marise Payne, said: “There is an ongoing and very high threat of a terrorist attack”.

It comes hours after the US State Department told those waiting at the Abbey Gate, East Gate or North Gate to “leave immediately”.

The UK issued similar advice asking people there to “move away to a safe location and await further advice”.

The Foreign Office said that the security situation in Afghanistan “remains volatile” adding that there was “an ongoing and high threat of a terrorist attack”.

None of the countries gave any further information on the security threat.

In a speech on Tuesday, US President Joe Biden said the US-controlled airlift would have to come to an end soon because of an increasing threat from the Islamic State group in Afghanistan.

About 19,000 people have been evacuated on US-organised flights in the past 24 hours, Mr Blinken said on Wednesday, with airlifts stepped up in recent days amid scenes of chaos.

He said that the US was still on track to complete operations at Kabul airport by the end of the month.

“Only the United States could organise and execute a mission of this scale and this complexity,” he told reporters in Washington.

“The Taliban have made public and private commitments to provide and permit safe passage for Americans, for third-country nationals and Afghans at risk past August 31st,” he said.

He added that the US would help those who wanted to leave Afghanistan “not just during the duration of our evacuation and relocation mission, but every day thereafter”.

Up to 1,500 US nationals could still be in the country and the administration was making exhaustive efforts to trace them, the secretary of state said.

The CIA and the US military have been carrying out clandestine operations to extract Americans using helicopters and ground troops, US and other officials have told the Wall Street Journal.

The perilous operations have been both inside and outside of Kabul, the paper says.

The Pentagon has said 10,000 people are still waiting to be evacuated from Kabul airport by US aircraft.

There are fears for thousands more Afghans who are desperate to leave but cannot reach the site.

BBC correspondents say many of those being turned back by the Taliban at the airport gates appear to have travel papers.

President Joe Biden tweeted that the US would “do everything” to “provide safe evacuation”.

The UK said its evacuation operation was moving at “significant pace”, with some 1,200 people flown out on Wednesday.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said his government would use “every hour and day that we’ve got left” to fly British nationals and eligible Afghans out.

Kabul airport is currently being defended by 5,800 US and 1,000 British troops.

Source: BBC

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